The Provincial High School Pokémon League was divided into two main categories: Individual Battles and Team Battles.
The Individual Battles consisted of three distinct stages: the Selection Trial, the Preliminaries, and the Main Tournament.
The competition kicked off with the Selection Trial, designed to whittle down the 140 individual contestants to a final 48. Each trainer was given three matches in a 1v1 format.
Advancement wasn't strictly based on wins; a panel would evaluate the results alongside the degree of Pokémon cultivation. Generally speaking, winning two out of three matches was a safe bet for moving on to the Preliminaries.
Listening to the rules, Owen almost started counting on his fingers. Question: If 140 contestants each play three matches without repeating opponents, what is the theoretical minimum number of total matches needed?
Next were the Preliminaries. The Preliminaries utilized a "round-robin within groups of three" elimination format. A win earned three points, a loss zero, and a draw one.
The top scorer in each group advanced. In the event of a tie, a 1v1 tiebreaker would be held. Special elemental fields would be introduced starting from this stage.
By the end of the Preliminaries, only sixteen trainers would remain. These sixteen would then enter the Main Tournament, also known as the Championship Bracket.
Then came the Team Battle rules. The Team Battle Preliminaries began with a group stage. The twenty schools were divided into four groups of five.
Each school had to battle the other four in their group. The top two schools from each group based on points would advance to the Main Tournament.
Those eight schools would then compete in another round-robin until the school with the highest points was crowned the Team Champion.
"Individual and team matches running simultaneously... there's no doubt the intensity will be off the charts before the finals. Without serious strength, it'll be impossible to advance."
"Moreover, schools will have to make tough choices between the two categories. Sometimes, a tactical retreat in one might lead to a better result in the other."
Owen shook his head. He'd leave that agonizing strategy to the teachers. His and Eevee's mission was simple: defeat every opponent placed in front of them!
The goal: The Championship (and the prize money)!
After the rules were introduced, the opening ceremony moved to its final segment—the one everyone had been waiting for. This wasn't about dry speeches; it was about blood-pumping collisions and high-tier ultimate moves!
"Alright, I know you're all itching for action! Next, we have an exhibition match between two of our province's newly promoted Professional Trainers. Let their fierce battle usher in the start of the official tournament!"
Even Owen leaned forward in anticipation. An exhibition match between Professionals was a rare treat for rookie trainers.
As the contestants cleared the field for the player benches, Wang Lin continued:
"Let me introduce our combatants..."
"First, a graduate of Aurelia University, the explosive 'Blazing Trainer'—Joe!"
Wearing a red combat suit embroidered with flame patterns, Joe, who looked no older than thirty, nodded to the cheering crowd as he stepped onto the center stage.
"And his opponent, also an Aurelia University graduate, the steadfast 'Mountain Trainer'—Song!"
Both young Professionals were under thirty, meaning they were eligible to represent the Province in the Elite Four qualifiers. They were in the most dazzling stage of their careers, the envy of everyone in the stadium.
Owen watched intently from the benches. Joe's partner was a Blaziken, while Song released a Tyranitar. The moment they appeared, the atmosphere of the field shifted.
Yet, their control over energy was so precise that the shockwaves of their power remained perfectly contained within the arena boundaries.
When the Tyranitar roared, a sandstorm instantly swept across the field, sending a surge of adrenaline through the spectators.
Standing like a bipedal dinosaur monster, Tyranitar was covered in green, armor-like plating. The spikes along its back and its jagged jaws gave it a terrifyingly fierce appearance.
In contrast, the Blaziken, with its white feathers, bandage-wrapped sharp claws, and powerful legs, exuded an air of noble, martial prowess. Its sharp blue eyes glowed with intensity.
"Chah!!"
Facing the encroaching sandstorm, Blaziken swung its arms. Explosive shadows of Fire Punch rose up, scorching the air and the ground itself.
"Wooooo!!" "Go for it!!!"
Amidst the roar of the crowd, Owen had to admit: a Professional Trainer in a serious fight was terrifying. Even in an exhibition, the raw pressure of the battle made his heart race.
Blaziken lunged, fire trailing behind it. It combined Flame Charge with Fire Punch, resulting in a burst of speed that left afterimages. A barrage of glowing fists accompanied by waves of heat made it hard for the eye to follow.
BOOM!! BOOM!! BOOM!!
Tyranitar responded with its world-shaping power, causing jagged Stone Edges to pierce upward from the earth like mountain peaks. Blaziken's fists shattered the stone instantly. Amidst the exploding rock and swirling sand, the two titans collided.
Kicks met tail-swipes in a display of raw, physical power. The violent beauty of the lashing fire snakes and flying yellow sand turned the match into a masterpiece of destruction.
The opening ceremony concluded around noon, with the official matches scheduled for the afternoon.
While the athletes ate, the giant screens displayed the brackets for the first round of the Selection Trial. The lead teachers from each school received the detailed schedules and match-ups from the staff.
"Who's my opponent?" Owen asked.
"A student from Green Sea Senior High. Not a captain. Their Pokémon is a Graveler," Ms. Nina replied.
"Save your energy," she added. "You and Eevee will be needed for the first team battle shortly after."
"Got it."
Owen received the news and simply closed his eyes to rest. If this tournament had "seeded" players, he was undoubtedly one of them.
Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't run into a true powerhouse before the Main Tournament.
While Owen was composed, the other Fairview members were frantically "sharpening their spears" at the last second.
Once they knew their opponents' Pokémon, they rushed to ask the teachers for more data or scoured the internet to memorize the weaknesses of specific species.
Leo was looking grim; his opponent had a Fighting-type Machoke, which was a nightmare for his Munchlax. He felt his luck had run out.
Lynnea, on the other hand, had hit the jackpot—her opponent was a Weepinbell.
The lead teachers were anxious, hovering over their students. Months of training were finally about to meet the ultimate test.
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